Improvement in wind-wheels



MABlE 8L LITTLE, 3S'heets--Sheet1l wind Mins.

Patented April 2, 1872.

3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

MABIE 8L LlTTLE.

wind Mms.

Patented Apr 2,1872.

WITNESSES R O I W m M 3 Sheets--Sheel 3.

MABIE 8L LITTLE- l l lWind Mills.` y No, 125,313, PatentedApri|2,1ia12.Y

` jx I I j L 11m ca. flusso/mtb maa-mw UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GILES MABIE AND THOMAS C. LITTLE, OF DIXON, ILLINOIS; SAID MABIE ASSIGNS HIS RIGHT TO THOMAS C. LITTLE & CO., OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENTVIN WIND-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,313, dated April 2, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GILEs MABIE, of Dixon, in the county of Lee and State of Illinois, and THOMAS C. LITTLE, of Dixon, in the county of Lee and State of Illinois, have invented' a new and useful Improvement in Windmills; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full and eXact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to that class of windmills which are provided with a'vertical wheel upon a horizontal shaft, the wheel having rosette fans or sails, provided with the usual weights for regulating their position relatively to the wind; and consists in certain details of construction which will be fully described hereinafter.

In the drawing, Figure 1 represents a partial view of our improved windmill in perspective, and the remaining figures views of parts detached.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will now proceed to describe fully its construction and manner of operation.

A represents the tower or standard, which may be of any proper form and suitable construction. B represents a cylinder, which forms a support or base for the remaining parts of the mill. It is itself secured to the standard by means of the step U at its lower end, and the strap D at its upper end'. The step C is formed of two equal parts, cc, of corresponding form, each of which is provided with an angle-iron, c1., top plate c2, and brace-bar c3. The top plate c2 extends rearwardly a little beyond the vertical line of the inner face of the inner half of the angle-iron, andfrests consequently, when in place, in a recess in the standard. The angle-iron is secured by proper fastening to the corners of the standards, as shown.. Each top plate c2 of the step is provided with a semicircular recess upon its inner side, whichforms, when the parts are united, a central opening for the reception of the lower end of the cylinder B. The latter is provided at this point with a groove formed by projecting anges, in which groove the edges of the top plate of the step rest, as clearly shown in the drawing. c4 represents a bolt, by means of which the parts of vthe step are securely bound together after the cylinder is placed in position. The strap D may be of any proper construction. In connection with it is used a bearing-plate, d attached to the standard, which rests against the cylinder, and assists in holding it properly in pla-ce. The cylinder B, in addition to the ilanges I)3 at its lower end, is provided also with an enlargement, b, at its upper end, and arms b1 b2, extending at right angles, or nearly so, to its vertical center line, and in opposite directions from each other. The arm b1 is provided with projecting edges above and below upon each side, by means of which a recess is made to receive the arms or beams e of the vane or guiding-fan E. The arm b2 is inclined upward slightly as it extends outward from the enlarged end of the cylinder, and is provided with standards b4 b5, to which are secured the boxes for the bearings of the main shaft F. It may be further provided, also, if desired, with ears for holding the ends of suitable bracerods to stay the machine. `The main shaft F has attached to one end, in any suitable manner, the wind-wheel, and to the other the crank, to which is connected the pitman for operating the pump-rod. The pitman is held at proper intervals by suitable guides, and is connected to thepump-rod by a loose joint, which will permit the former to revolve without affecting the latter. The wind-wheel is connected tothe shaft Fin this case by means of a circular plate, G, provided with Wheelarms g, corresponding in number with the divisions of the wheel. To the arms g the fansupporting arms g1 are secured in any proper manner. H represents a set of sails or fans,

such as are common to rosette fan-wheels, which consists of a series of blades, h, of similar form, which are attached in an inclined position to a common central cross-bar h1. The cross-baritself is pivoted at its ends in the endsof the arms g1, the connection between the parts being established by means of a clutch, h2, upon the end of the cross-bar h1, which is provided with a tapering stud or spindle, which rests in bearings in the plate g2 upon the arm g1. This plate is peculiarly constructed. It is provided with ears upon each side, and with a central triangularlyshaped projection, which latter acts as a stop, and prevents excessive lateral motion'on the part of the cross-bar h1 in its bearings in the plate. rIhe plate is further provided with a 'slot at one end, as shown at X, Sheet 2,

by means of which it is adjusted upon the bolt which secures it to the supporting-arm, so as to bring the studs or pivots of the crossbars of the sail against the stops, and thus prevent longitudinal movement. By this means the bars are caused to turn silently in the bearings.

The foregoing description relates especially to the construction of the mill proper, without regard to the means for regulating or controlling it. We will now proceed to describe the devices by means of which its speed is always automatically regulated.

v) represents an arm projecting from the cross-bar h1 of each set ot' fans, to which is securely fastened the peculiarly-formed iron I. This latter is constructed in two equal and similar parts, each of which is provided with asemicircularlongitudinal recess, which forms, when the parts are united, an orifice for the reception ofthe end of the connecting-rod J. The free end of the iron also is enlarged, and provided with an opening, as clearly shown in the drawing, which is designed for the purpose of holding a nut upon the rod, and permitting the same to be easily manipulated. The outer end of the rod beyond the iron is also provided with a nut, by which arrangement the length of the rod relatively to the arm can be easily adjusted when desired. The inner ends of the rods J are attached to one of the arms of the bell-cranks K, to the other arm of which latter are attached rods la, by means of which connection is made with the sliding head L.

The bearing-arms of the bell-cranks rest in bearings constructed similarly to the plate g2, hereinbefore described. The sliding head L consists of a collar provided with slotted radial arms and a flange-sleeve, the whole surrounding the main shaft F, and so attached to it as to revolve with it and slide upon it. In vthe groove of the sleeve rest curved bars, united at their ends to each other and to the conn ecting-rods ,which latter, passing through suitable guides, are jointed at l', and united at their rear ends to the long arm m of the elbowlever lll, as shown. This latter is pivoted to the upper ends ofthe standards N, which rise from the vane-beams e below, and is united by means of its short arm to the connectingrods 0 o, as shown. To the extreme end of the long arm ofthe lever M is attached one end of a spring, mf, the other end of which latter is suitably attached to the vane-beams,

as shown. The connecting-rods 0 o pass downward upon the inside of cylinder B through its enlargement b, and upon t-he outside through grooves, as shown, the remaining part of the way to the lower anges, and through them to the cross-head1). This latter is provided with a central cylindrical downwardly-projecting stud, through which passes the pitman, and which has also a groove, in which rests the fingers ofthe barQ attached to the adjustinglever R.

The operation is as follows: The wheel is actuated by the wind in the usual well-known manner. When the pressure upon the fans becomes excessive they are caused to revolve with sufficient rapidity to throw outward by centrifugal force the irons I, which act as weights, and thus by their movement turn the sails more'or less parallel with the direction of the winds movement, and remove them to a greater or less extent from the influence of its action. The movem ent ofthe sails causes, by means of the connections described, a corresponding movement of the slide-head, and with it also the elbow-lever M, which draws out the spring m. It therefore follows that, when the pressure of the wind has subsided sufciently to permit the spring m to act, it will retract and draw the sails again into the Wind. It consequently follows that the devices for regulating the fan are automatic in their operation. When the pressure of the wind is excessive, the sails are thrown out of the wind by the centrifugal action of the weighted irons; but as soon as the force subsides the sails are drawn again into the wind by the action of the spring m. By means of the adjusting-lever R the position of the sails can be regulated at any time at will.

Some of the specitic details of construction shown are possessed ot' marked advantages. The peculiar construction of the cylinder and its step permits the parts to be quickly and easily attached to each other and the standard. The arrangement of the slide-head in rear of the wheel is advantageous, as a shorter shaft can be used than when it is located in frontof the wheel. The peculiar construction of the connecting-rods and irons attached to the sails permits an adjustment to be easily made, so that the relative position of the sails to the slide-head may be changed when desired-that is to say, if it should be found in practice that the extreme movement of the slide-head did not permit the sails tov be sufficiently exposed to the wind in the opposite direction, the connecting-rods could easily be changed so as to throw the sails further out or draw them further in. The manner of forming the bearing-surfaces with tapering ends, which are limited in their lateral movement by stops, is believed to possess advantages over the usual shoulder placed upon the bearing-shaft. The combination of the strap, step, v

and standard with the cylinder affords a strong means of uniting the'cylinder to the standard, by which it is made impossible for the former to be blown away from the latter by high winds.

The windmill as a whole is simple in its construction, and not liable to get out of order.

Having thus fully described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 'is- 1. In a Windmill, the combination of the cylinder, having anges b3, with the divided step, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the strap D and bearing-plate d with the cylinder B and standard A, as described.

3. The combination of the divided step, the cylinder with its flanges, the strap D, and bearing-plate d with the standard A, as described.

4. A shaft or stud, provided With a tapering end or journal, as shown in Fig. l, in combination With a plateV having bearings for the stud, and a stop to limit its longitudinal movement, as described.

5. The bearing-iron g2, provided With the slot to permit the adjustment of the iron before it is rmly secured in place, in order that the ends of the pivots may be caused to rest against the bearing-block, as described.

6. The combination of the cylinder, the step, the standard, and the holding-strap, the step being located below the top of the standard, and adapted to hold the bottom of the cylinder, and the strap being located near or at the top of the standard and adapted to hold the top of the cylinder, as described.

7. The combination of the arm i upon the cross-bar of the sails with the Weight I hinged thereto and the rod i', the position of the Weight upon the rod being adjusted to regulate the sails, as described, for the purpose set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 9th day of May, 1871.

GILES MABIE. THOMAS C. LITTLE.

lWitnesses HENRY J. DREW, EDWIN W. HINE. 

